Blackpool's famous donkeys have made London's tube network look like an ass by beating it to the contactless payments punch.
Real Donkeys' veteran Dillon has been kitted out with the UK's first 'payments saddle', which enables tourists to tap their plastic against his side to pay for a trot along the beach.
Barclaycard and Real Donkeys owner Mark Ineson worked with designers Seymourpowell to build Dillon's new tack, integrating a small payments terminal.
As Dillon's near namesake, Bob, would say, The Times They Are A-Changin', it's the End Of The Line for cash, It's All Over Now, Baby Blue after all those Long And Wasted Years.
Says Ineson: "Over the years I've had to turn hundreds of kids away because mums and dads don't have the cash on them to pay for a ride on Dillon - and the beach is often the last place you want to be carrying lots of change."
Tami Hargreaves, head, contactless, Barclaycard, adds: "Assuming that Dillon's pioneering approach in going cashless is a success, we could see the roll out of more Contactless Donkeys everywhere next summer."